Apparatus for separating substances of different specific gravities.



A. GRUNDLER.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SUBSTANCES OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29,19I3.

1 19 479 Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

Whessea: [fire/77hr warren stratus raarnir @IBFICE.

ALFRED GRIINDLER, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SUBSTANCES OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED GntiNDLER, a subject of the German Emperor, and a resident of Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Apparatus for Separating Substances of Different Specific Gravities, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for separating substances of different specific gravities, by means of a separating liquid of an intermediate specific gravity.

I have devised this invention particularly for extracting the valuable or available particles of coal and coke, from the refuse or residue of oven, stoves, or furnaces, in a simple and economical manner. As the substance to be extracted is in this case of a relatively low value, it obviously is of importance, in the practical carrying out of this invention, to employ a separating agent of as great cheapness as possible and one that can be recovered without difiiculty.

According to my invention, I employ, as separating liquids, aluminum silicates (clay, marl, etc.) in water-bearing form, the particular specific gravity desired in each individual case being obtained by the addition of water or of liquids of greater specific gravity. Since the aluminum silicates are kept in suspension in the water or other liquid employed for diluting the said silicates, that is to say, since these silicates do not combine chemically with the diluting liquid. they may be separated readily from the extracted substance, and recovered to a large extent, by a simple precipitation with the aid of water, whereas the chemical solutions employed hitherto for like purposes (6. 9., lyes) are lost to a large extent during the process, asthey cannot be separated at all from the substance extracted, or only with very great difficulty. By using a separating liquid containing water-bearing aluminum silicates, I therefore obtain a considerable economy over the flotation processes used hitherto, together with a simplification in the carrying out of the process.

For the practical application of my improved process, I prefer to employ an apparatus of the type shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of such apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 29, 1913.

PatentedJan. 25, rate.

Serial N0. 781,723.

with parts in section, and other parts omitted. I

The apparatus comprises a separating container 1, preferably flaring upward conically, and provided, in the example illustrated by the drawings, with a cylindrical upper portion 2 having an overflow 3. In the center of the bottom of the container 1 is provided a tubular connection 4 joined to the pipe 5 through which the separating liquid is supplied in a continuous stream, being fed under pressure by a force pump or equivalent means. The stream of liquid entering centrally at the bottom of the container 1 opposes the sinking tendency of the substance to be separated (e. 9., furnace residue), which is introduced at the top, in such a way that the relatively light particles will remain as long as possible at the top of the liquid, so that the majority of said light particles will pass out with the liquid through the overflow 3. In the connection 4 is secured a step bearing 7 for an upright shaft 8, openings 6 being left for the passage of the liquid. The upper portion of the said shaft is joui'naled in a bearing 9 and is connected operatively, as by bevel gearing 10, with a shaft 11 driven in any suitable manner, as by means of a pulley 12. Below the water level maintained by the overflow 3, the shaft 8 carries inclined, propeller-like blades 13, which are given a. slight S-shaped curvature and are tapered alternately from the center toward the periphery and viceversa.

As the shaft 8 with the blades 13 rotates slowly, the particles of relatively light specific weight will be raised gently by the blades 13 and will be carried away by the separating liquid passing out through the overflow 3. In the apparatus illustrated, two of the blades operate chiefly on the light particles of the substance to be separated which float or are suspended closely beneath the surface at the peripheral portion of the container 1, while the other two blades operate chiefly on the light particles of the substance to be separated which float or are suspended closely beneath the surface at the central portion, in the neighborhood of the shaft 8. By tapering one blade outwardly, the next inwardly, and so on alternately, I enable the relatively heavy particles of the liquid to be separated, to fall to the bottom undisturbed as the blades 13 rotate.

If several relatively wide blade surfaces followed each other in their action on the same portion of the liquid, they would interfere too much with the downward movement of the relatively heavy portions.

When however, as shown, outwardly tapering blades alternate with inwardly tapering ones, a wider passage is left for the downward movement of the liquid and the matter suspended therein. The wide inner portions of the outwardly-tapering blades exert chiefly a lifting action on the relatively light particles in the neighborhood of the shaft 8, while the wide outer portions of the inwardly-tapering blades act chiefly on the liquid and suspended particles near the outer wall of the container 1.

The provision of the blades 13 in the separating container closely beneath the surface of the liquid has proved particularly advantageous because it assists the upthrust of the upwardly entering stream of separating liquid. For practical reasons, the ve locity given to this current flowing upwardly in the container cannot exceed a certain limit, but with the assistance of the blades 13, I obtain the same results as if the stream were given a greater velocity. The slight S-shape in the curvature of the blades 13 is also beneficial in securing the result just referred to, for the reason that with this shape I avoid, so far as possible, the formation of whirls and the like, which would interfere with the separating action. The lower edges of the S-shaped blades form obtuse angles with the horizontal, and as these blades rotate slowly, their inclined portions gently and gradually raise the suspended particles with which they come in contact, with a minimum of disturbance of particles contained in other portions of the liquid, and particularly under avoidance of any whirling action upon the liquid. The upper portions of the S-shaped blades again gradually and gently approach to a horizontal line, so as to deliver the particles raised, without undue agitation, which parholes are then carried away by the liquid current.

It will be understood that the specific gravity of the separating liquid is higher than that of the relatively light particles of the substance to be separated, but lower than that of the relatively heavy particles of said substance; this is what I intend to indicate by the term intermediate specific gravity.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the nature of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

having an overflow at its upper portion andv an inlet at its lower portion for an upwardly directed stream of separating liquid, and blades located in the container below the level of the overflow and. mounted to turn about an upright axis, alternate blades be ing tapered toward the center and toward the periphery respectively.

3. A separator comprising a container having an overflow at its upper portion. and an inlet at its lower portion for an upwardly directed stream of separating liquid, and a plurality of blades mounted to turn about an upright axis in thecontainer directly below the level of the overflow, so as to work in the upper layer'of the liquid only and to leave the lower layers practically undisturbed, alternate blades being tapered toward the center and toward the periphery respectively.

4. A separator comprising a container having an overflow at its upper portion and an inlet at its lower portion for an upwardly directed stream of separating liquid, and blades mounted to turn in the container below the level of the overflow, alternate blades being tapered toward the center and toward the periphery respectively.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED GRUNDLER.

Witnesses WOLDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HASPER. 

